News

WATSONVILLE—The Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 11 unanimously voted to continue a program at two high schools in which law enforcement officers are paired with mental health clinicians, and to bring the program to a third school. The School Resource...

Watsonville artist Jaime Sanchez touches up the giant mural the faces Hansen Park in downtown Watsonville. The mural, entitled "Triumph" was painted by Sanchez and fellow artist Paul De Worken six years ago. —photo by Tarmo Hannula/The Pajaronian

WATSONVILLE—Two Watsonville Community Band members, trombonist Samuel Waite and bass clarinetist Yazlyn Estrada, have been awarded full scholarships to the Fresno Pacific University Summer Music Camp in June. Both students are graduates of the WCB Youth Band and now play with the adult unit. The...

WATSONVILLE—The organization formed earlier this year to operate and oversee Watsonville Community Hospital is nearing its July 1 deadline to raise enough to make the purchase, but is still $16 million short. If Pajaro Valley Healthcare District (PVHD) is unable to raise the funds, it...

WATSONVILLE—The Watsonville City Council approved an agreement with the County of Santa Cruz on a proposed 80-unit affordable apartment complex that, if approved by the county supervisors, would break ground in early 2022. MidPen Housing, a nonprofit developer, is leading the project between Atkinson Lane...

By Jacob Pierce, Good Times Editor Several hours after a new stay-at-home order took effect Friday, Housing Matters Executive Director Phil Kramer opened up a Homeless Memorial Zoom call by reflecting on a difficult year marked by the Covid-19 pandemic and devastating wildfires. Kramer, the event’s...

Editor’s note: This is the first entry of a weekly four-part series about the Pajaro Valley’s Japanese community. The series will culminate on Aug. 14, coinciding with this year’s celebration of the Obon Festival, a cultural and religious Japanese event honoring one’s ancestors.  By Hugh...

WATSONVILLE—A group formed for the sole purpose of recalling Pajaro Valley Unified School District Trustee Georgia Acosta announced Wednesday that they have gathered the required signatures to officially begin the process. The group, called The Committee to Recall Georgia Acosta, made the announcement during the...

WATSONVILLE—Roaring Camp Railroads has struck a deal with Progressive Rail to provide freight services for Watsonville businesses. Santa Cruz Big Trees and Pacific Railway, a subsidiary of Roaring Camp, announced the deal on April 30 in a press release. Roaring Camp CEO Melani Clark said the...

WATSONVILLE—The Monterey Bay Rose Society (MBRS) will once again be holding its annual series of free rose pruning classes at various locations across the region. Things kick off Saturday at 10:30am at the Display Rose Garden at the Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, 2601 E. Lake...